Westwood 1915
The Red River Lumber Company
On September 1, 1981, I had an opportunity to visit the Minnesota Historical Society at St. Paul. It just happened to be a coincidence on that date as it was first day that restrictions were lifted on the T.B. Walker and Red River Lumber Company’s papers. In addition, I have been fortunate to meet with Harriett Walker Henderson, the 100 year old granddaughter of T.B. Walker. Of note, Harriett, the daughter of Clinton Walker, was present when the first tree was felled at Westwood in 1912. With these and other unique sources yields a wealth of material never presented.
In the late 1860s, T.B. Walker ventured into the lumber business in northern Minnesota. That laid the foundation for what would become Walker’s empire. During those early years, Walker had many partnerships, one of which in 1884 created the establishment of the Red River Lumber Company. In addition, along with another business partner, Healy Cady Akeley, they established a town and lumber mill—Akeley, Hubbard County, Minnesota. The Akeley facility operated from 1899 to 1915.
It was, however, in 1889 when T.B. Walker looked to the west, more specifically the forests of Northern California. By 1894, Walker began acquisitions of timberlands there. By 1905, he owned an estimated 900,000 acres in Lassen, Plumas, Siskiyou, Shasta and Tehama Counties.
Walker was stymied by the development of these lands due to the lack adequate railroad facilities. Walker’s original concept was to establish several sawmills through this vast forest domain. Two particular events changed those plans. One was the purchase of John Crouch lands at Mountains Meadows, Lassen County. The other was an agreement with the Southern Pacific Railroad.
In 1912, plans had been drawn to establish a company town and sawmill in Mountain Meadows. On Tuesday, September 10,1912, T.B. Walker’s son, Clinton, with his two small children, Brooks and Harriett and W.B. Carlin, construction superintendent of the mill and town, did the ceremonial cutting of the first tree at what would become the company town of Westwood.
For the next thirty-two years Walker’s Red River Lumber Company controlled the town of Westwood and its environs. While it took the region to adjust to the economic impact of this development, there were also the political clout that had far ranging effects too. In 1918, the Lassen County Board of Supervisors had criticized the Company for not allowing a speaker who was against the prohibition movement to assemble in Westwood. Company Manager, R.F. Pray informed the Board not to meddle with the Company’s policies. Pray then continued had they not urged their employees to vote for the passage of the bond measures for a new County Courthouse and Hospital, those facilities would never have been built.
The conflicts were not confined to politics, but that inside the family, too. When Red River established Westwood, T.B. Walker began turning over the management to his five sons—Gilbert, Fletcher, Willis, Clinton and Archie. Each son had their own ideas as to how the company should be run and the power struggles were notorious. Gilbert was the first casualty who suffered a mental breakdown. Clinton, the maverick, broke ties with the Company in 1913 over the management of Westwood, but would be forced back into the Company during its financial crisis of the Depression. Fletcher and Willis had their battles as to how Westwood should operate too, while Archie remained in Minnesota to soothe the bankers and investors who provided the necessary capital for the California operations.
Of course, there are the labor issues. Take for instance, as documented in the Company’s archives is that of employee badge No. 96. This person was hired in 1922 as a Company spy to mingle with the employees looking for anyone in regards to union organizing.
From time to time, this page will be updated, with progress on this project. If you have any comments on this topic, stories or photographs to share drop me a note at lahontan@citlink.net
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